


Three Strikes - and You're In

by poagthemoth



Series: The City, and Tales from it [2]
Category: The Mechanisms (Band), Ulysses Dies at Dawn - The Mechanisms (Album)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Other, Tim is persephone, hermes uses they/them, merope they/them, obscure udad characters ftw, thanatos he/him, tim uses she/her as persephone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29133630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poagthemoth/pseuds/poagthemoth
Summary: The story of Sisyphus, who cheated entry into the Acheron twice - and died the third time.
Relationships: Ashes O'Reilly & Gunpowder Tim, Ashes O'Reilly/Gunpowder Tim, Sisyphus/Merope (Ulysses Dies at Dawn)
Series: The City, and Tales from it [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137665
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Birth/Death

**Author's Note:**

> content warnings-
> 
> \- general reference to murder and death throughout  
> \- smoking  
> \- guns  
> \- suicide (in the final chapter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginnings of the tale of Sisyphus.

A lot of stories have been told throughout the City. The tale of the Ilian folk hero Prometheus's name lived on even after the war was well and truly over for Ilium. Of course the truth of that tale is very different from the tale, but it's hard to convince people of it being wrong when they're fighting a war for their survival against you with only that for hope. 

Another commonly told one is the story of Sisyphus, the man who is said to have cheated the Acheron twice and outwitted the District of Olympus itself. The truth of the retellings of this from the City are rarely accurate or consistent as the Olympians didn't want someone like that to be immortalised in truth, only as a myth. His story was often used to convince people to accept the Acheron more than often, it's hard to rebel against death when your culture teaches you trying to cheat it would lead to such a level of eternal punishment as Sisyphus ended up with. It doesn't help that Sisyphus was praised as one of the most cunning people to exist in legend and famously stood up against the Olympians; and if he couldn't, who could?

The official line, stemming from Zeus himself, claims Sisyphus was cunning and evil. A man who set out to defy everything the Olympians stood for with no regard for the City. A man who was determined to destroy the Acheron and plunge the City into chaos. Of course he was many of those things, it's just the whole truth of it is not as simple as that. But the truth was known to only a few left alive in the City in the end.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sisyphus was born into the district that would eventually be known as Corinth, although it was originally known as Ephyra when he was alive. Despite being rumoured to be from a long line of a ruined wealthy dynasty, he grew up on the streets of the City. It should be noted he lived in the earlier days of the Acheron, with it not being as large as it got to eventually by the end. He knew of the Acheron and it's influence like everyone else, but he was determined to survive and not get trapped in it, if it was the last thing he did.

Many people have tried to escape eternal death in the Acheron. Have they been successful at large? definitely not but you get the few who slip through the cracks in unconventional ways, though most are not known due to cover-ups. Sisyphus is certainly an example of this but someone with the infamy he had cheating it, it became very hard to deny it was a story at least. He also did it twice when most people who did it only managed it once, which is a feat that would have without his prominence been hard to suppress. 

In life, he proved himself capable of surviving in the City, and became a powerful man. Having a lot of power in the crime world around Ephyra, he eventually became powerful enough to be known as it's ruler informally, even as a King. Like how Hades ultimately controlled the Acheron, he was arguably in control of this district even if officially he wasn't. His influence was so great many Olympians struggled to exert their power there when he was in power. He was an expert at crafting lies to stave them away or deceiving them with his intricate schemes. His people were known for attempting to escape eternal death many times, though they never really managed it in the end outside of Sisyphus himself. 

As you can imagine, spending your whole life rebelling against the Olympians gets you on their watchlist despite his skills in covering it up. He could kill their envoys and spies in their beds and leave them for the MPC to take down into the Acheron, but they caught on eventually onto the deceit. However, he often succeeded in keeping Ephyra at least somewhat economically independent from Olympus for a time. This was unlike most other districts. Despite all this though, the Olympians knew he had to die eventually and liked the fact that a bit of false hope had got into Ephyra to an extent, no one had actually escaped the Acheron and they still controlled enough to keep a leash on the district. So they didn't send anyone after him to make any attempts on his life yet, just let him live out his life for now while they waited patiently.

There was also the matter of his family life which remained controversial among the City long after it was presumed he was a myth. A story goes he went to a robotic Oracle for guidance on how to get rid of his brother the best in order to maintain his rule over Ephyra. He also had a spouse named Merope, but his love life is still highly speculated despite his spouse and the long relationship he shared with them. Merope themself, had long ago brought dishonour upon their high up family and their many siblings by marrying with a mortal, losing their immortality as a result. Sisyphus's family however, is not directly involved in his cheating of death to start with, that first of all has to do with Zeus.

Having toyed with the Olympians so long, he had learned of many of their secrets through the years as he grew older. He had never revealed any of them until this point, because he was arguably a much less noticeable threat to them without him outing himself as a bearer of their secrets. He could continue his deceit and plotting to escape the Acheron without them taking immediate action against him for now, he knew the dangers of making yourself too big a target to those in power. 

This was until he learned of a secret source of clean water, one that could aid his people greatly in their survival & prosperity. It came off the Asopus reservoir and would lead right to the centre of Ephyra if he took control of it. The Olympians had been hiding it and selling it off to investors to hold control over the populace, particularly Zeus. Zeus still owned the bulk of the reservoir and by far had made the most money off it. He may have been a cunning man, but he was also boastful and would take any opportunity to strike at Olympus so brazenly. So he struck it open, and soon the Olympians knew he knew more than he let on as a renegade crime lord who made attempts of folly at rebellion. 

He was designated an immediate threat and Zeus with the approval of Hades sent one of their best assassins to take Sisyphus down into the Acheron.  
The assassin's name was Thanatos, he was known for the deadliness of his abilities and his skill in inflicting death was second to all but one group of people in the City. Thanatos was sent to deal death to him and take his body personally down to the Acheron to present to Hades, a fitting humiliation for someone who had made it his mission to rebel against the Acheron.

When Thanatos met him, Sisyphus in a way knew his time was up and he had eluded the Olympians' gaze for too long. This was the first time they had tried to deal death to him, and would not be the last as he would find out. However, he still had a few tricks left. Asking why the so well known "Ferrymen" had not come with him to claim him, Thanatos was simply perplexed at what he was trying to do. Still Thanatos listened, he had a way of talking that kept him intrigued. 

Sisyphus asked to see the high tech device he planned to use to hold his body in place of the specialised vans used by the cerebral collectors. Thanatos showed him it and Sisyphus asked for a demonstration of how it would be done before it was used on himself. Thanatos started to oblige but before he knew it Sisyphus had caged him in there and fled from the scene with a great rush. His craftiness had saved him from the clutches of the deadliest assassin in the City, Thanatos had let his politeness get the better of him.

Zeus was enraged at this, as were the other Olympians. Soon Ares, commander of much of the military, stormed Ephyra looking for Thanatos and freed him from the prison with ranks of his soldiers. Ares and the others swore Sisyphus wouldn't escape the Acheron again and planned their vengeance, and the so called King fled with his spouse into tunnels away from their prying eyes. If the City would know anything in time from the first time he cheated death, it was that such a level of mercy and patience they had shown to Sisyphus would _not _be shown again by Olympus.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the first chapter out of 3 obv, i'll try and do this fairly quickly the chapters aren't gonna be too long but yeah enjoy feel free to kudos etc  
> also this is a start of a second part in a series of fanfics about the city  
> hopefully this is actually an interesting take on sisyphus!
> 
> @poagthemoth - twitter


	2. The Love of a Couple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sisyphus may have cheated death once, but unless he can pull off a miracle against the combined forces of the Olympians; he's dead for sure this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings-
> 
> \- general reference to murder and death throughout  
> \- smoking  
> \- guns

Shortly after Sisyphus fled from Ephyra with Merope after escaping Thanatos, Ares took charge of taking him down to the Acheron. He was determined not to fail. Ares was a very dedicated and strong willed person, and he was particularly angry at this affront to the power of his family. 

Thanatos, altogether one of the more innocent people in this tale, was petrified of Sisyphus from this day onwards and refused to go near him or his business. There are assassins in the City who would have tracked down and brutally murdered Sisyphus for what he did to the assassin had they been him, but he was not one of those assassins and liked to avoid those who had clearly shown the ability to outmatch him.  
His reputation as an assassin was certainly lesser after this but the Olympians were so angry at the time, it didn't matter for some time.

Ares marshalled ranks upon ranks of soldiers to search the City for any sign of information or sign of Sisyphus. He himself led a great party of warriors that under his expertise and military tactics combined with the intel from other soldiers and fellow Olympians like Dionysus, slowly tracked and tracked him until they eventually would find him.

Before all of this however, Sisyphus had fled immediately with Merope. They fled to the lower levels where they did what they could to hide against the full force of Olympus. Sisyphus was usually confident in his skills, but knew from the moment he met Thanatos that he would be discovered eventually. He and Merope split up to hide better and promised to find each other again when it was safe. They reluctantly agreed and fled to hide out further below in the lower levels, they had lost the safe refuge of Ephyra the day Thanatos had come. 

That day, Ares in his rage had sent soldiers all over the district and stamped out any political & economic power the King had. It was no safe place for Sisyphus right now and they certainly didn't expect to find him there either at all in the future. So when Merope and Sisyphus had split up to hide separately, Ares had nearly found him.  
Ares came across Sisyphus in the back of a van, having heard that soldiers were nearing his location he had broken into the back of a MPC van to escape but Ares was very thorough and cruel in his searches so he didn't stand a chance. His soldiers quickly bound and gagged the man and chucked him in a bulky military van of their own, and went down to the Acheron. 

Ares had never liked the Acheron, it had always unnerved him. He was fine with it's existence; he just didn't like being in it at all. Almost everyone he had ever killed was in there after all. The hot-headed commander knew he had to deliver Sisyphus there though so he grudgingly went there and dropped off the bound & gagged Sisyphus to a group of Hades guards. He also delivered a sealed envelope containing the specific punishments for how to deal with him, all the way from Zeus. Ares in his rage had modified them of course to be even crueller but Zeus would never find out luckily for him, he left it though along with his troops. He was sure Hades had it covered.

It came to be then, that Sisyphus was delivered into the depths of the Acheron. He was brought before Hades and their partner Persephone for an audience audience and soon to be, a punishment.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sisyphus sat kneeled and bound in front of the two people. He knew them instantly from their faces and attire. The dapper black tie and hat Hades wore with their suit, and the red hair that flowed from under their hat. Persephone stood by Hades as they sat on a grand throne that looked to be stolen from somewhere and smoked a thick cigar. Persephone wore a long brown jacket that was draped over a flowery green dress. In place of her eyes was a pair of mechanical goggles, long soft brown hair flowed from her head and thick facial hair adorned her face. Both of them had guns openly on them and probably many more hidden in their clothes, you didn't get to be the rulers of the Acheron without a little bit of force. 

The room he was in was empty of life but for the two rulers and all around on the walls and above them all were stacked glowing jars of brains. Many doors led in and out of the room as well. Hades spoke.

"Alright, Sisyphus right? Oh he's still gagged Ti- I mean Persephone dear could you ungag him?"

"Of course Hades"

Persephone went up to him and pulled the gag out and returned to her place.

"You've been, getting into some trouble with Olympus haven't you?"

Able to speak now, he replied.

"Yes, I know I'm as good as dead"

"Good, good" Hades took a puff from the cigar after saying this and continued.

"What happens now is we-", they gestured to Persephone as she was playing with a gun "will execute you for the Olympians to know according to these instructions, then you will spend eternity in the Acheron" they took a long drag after this.

"You may have noticed I have no guards in here but me and my partner but do not let that fool you. I know you're a cunning man Sisyphus, and I do not intend to lose to you. There's gonna be an example made of you for this you know"

Sisyphus nodded bravely at this.

"Stop trying to put on a brave face, you're dead. You were dead the moment you challenged Olympus you can't cheat death from them again" 

"I doubt Ares would let him go free without a fight anyway besides he was pissed when he came in" Persephone chimed in.

Hades leaned back in their chair, "I would have loved to see the look on his face"

"It was very worth it" she chuckled.

"Just get it over with" the kneeling man cut through their conversation.

Hades sternly spoke to Sisyphus. "Well you're gonna have to wait a bit for that because I-" They pulled out the envelope from their suit and waved it in the air. "need to read this, don't try to escape you'd be dead within a week even if you got out and evaded military fucker out there" 

"Persephone, make sure he doesn't try anything violent"

"Of course, my love" Persephone turned her head as if to wink at Hades saying this. Hades kissed her on the cheek softly.

Hades walked out the room and through a door into another room. Persephone immediately walked over and carried Sisyphus through a door and corridor into what appeared to be a room at the outskirts of the Acheron. It was sparse and wide and lacked any of the minds towered in most of it.

Sisyphus was the first to speak. 

"Why did you bring me here?"

She leaned against a wall and spoke, "Far less morbid here, don't imagine you want to spend your last moments surrounded by brains"

"I'll be surrounded by them anyway when I die"

"Good one, but your cunning won't save you trust me"

"Well, I have a spouse and they won't let you get away with this after you're done"

"I'll get away with it but, I know of Merope" She paused for a moment, "How are they?"

Sisyphus smiled at this, a plan begin to form as he spoke.

"They're fine, I left them in Ephyra hiding away from all this."

"Well I'm not the right person to tell that"

"They were beautiful and so caring I wish I could see them again" He spoke softly and sadly, absorbed by his emotions. This seemed to get her interest.

"Well, if you really want to" She smiled and reached to break his bonds.

"What?" Sisyphus was shocked, it had worked?

"Yeah I mean, I was hoping Ares didn't find you so fast to be honest and who am I to deny young love?"

"You're from Olympus though"

She smirked at that "Maybe I am but, I do like a bit of fun and playing with my… relatives"

"Hades would kill you, you'd bring Olympus down on everything you owned!"

"Yes they would but, they're not one to miss a bit of fun and we can handle Olympus, just fine thank you"

"Take my bonds then"

She cut through his bonds and let him stand up.

"I'll tell Ares and his lot you went to Ephyra. Go see Merope before they get to you again, I'm not sure me or Hades will be here next time they get you"

Gravely, Sisyphus nodded at Persephone and ran from the Acheron.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sisyphus had done it again, it was reported. He had slipped out under the noses of the rulers of the Acheron with his cunning hubris. Persephone told Ares he had left for Ephyra to see his spouse. Ares was now aided in his search by much more Olympian resources, including Dionysus's intel. He set out to scour Ephyra and that he did, searching for Merope and Sisyphus. 

Zeus was said to have strangled the man who told him the news, while Hades was reported to have just laughed a lot. The point was if anything had united the immortal rulers, it was this.

Sisyphus returned to Merope in the lower levels and they embraced and stayed together for one last time, together. Sisyphus knew he would be found eventually and wouldn't be left to Hades. After a tearful embrace the couple said goodbye to one another, they promised they would both evade the Olympians for as long as each could. Love and grief filled their hearts as they ran. The deposed King of Ephyra and the disgraced Pleiad went in separate directions, and never met again in life or death. The fate of Merope will not be told here but let it be known they survived for longer than he did in the end.

Eventually though, while Ares was turning Ephyra upside down for the couple, Zeus realised they weren't there. He secretly sent for the cerebral collectors themselves to take care of it, in particular ordering one man with considerable standing who was known for fast deliveries. He would not be as outsmarted as Thanatos was and although it wasn't his public job description for the Metropolitan Power Company, he was known for being able to chase anyone to the depths of the City for collection. The final chase was set into motion. Sisyphus would not be so lucky the third time round, eternal death would not be eluded again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 2, this was really fun to write because of the ashes + tim stuff but yeah!!!  
> this was also longer than expected woops but oh well next part will be up uhh!!! at some point its probably gonna be the shortest chapter by far  
> feel free to kudos comment etc ! its appreciated
> 
> @poagthemoth - twitter


	3. Catching Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sisyphus is cornered, death has had it with him now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings-
> 
> \- general reference to murder and death throughout  
> \- smoking  
> \- guns  
> \- references to suicide  
> \- attempted suicide

He could hear the engine of the van zooming behind him. He dashed through streets across narrow smoggy pavements and cracked roads away from it. Sisyphus hadn't seen the van at all, but everyone knew the sound of them. He didn't know who was in it or driving it but they were probably sent by Olympus, he hadn't had any assassins sent by Hades just yet. He'd been on the run alone only for a short time away from Merope. He was running low on bullets and schemes.

He couldn't turn to anyone else for help of course, the surveillance the Olympians had on him was too great and he would likely end up just getting them killed along with him. He missed Merope. He felt responsible in his own way for all this, he had been the one to reveal his knowledge of the Asopus reservoir and controlled it to come into his district. If he hadn't done that and had just laid low perhaps he would have never ended up having to narrowly escape the clutches of death twice. He just smiled though, if there was anything he regretted now it was only separating from Merope, he would have liked to die with them. 

His whole life had been spent doing what he could against Olympus and their grip over the Metropolis and he'd been damn good at it. He had beaten Thanatos and been set free by Persephone out of some strange compassion for him? He didn't understand Persephone and Hades but he was sure someone else would eventually. The City was not the type of place to bow down to it's rulers, he thought he at least had proved that.

This is why as he ran and the van got closer, he had a plan. One to trump his first 2 escapes and finally ensure his freedom from the Acheron, he knew he was at the end of his life, but he wanted to end it with a bang. He had heard the details of those among his people who had tried to escape eternal death, he knew what worked and didn't. He would outwit the Olympians one last time and claim victory over death. He reached inside his jacket to check the detonator was still there, and it was. Merope was far less of a priority as him, he knew this at least. He hoped they would escape.  
Sisyphus wondered how those after this would perceive him, he hoped he would be perceived as a hero. But he knew he had wounded the Olympians' pride greatly and hoped at least people with similiar goals as him would be wary around that. He didn't regret wounding their pride, but looked where it got him. His tied up hair was sweaty and wiry and his jacket and common clothes were battered and dirtied. He had looked better when he was King of Ephyra. 

The van was getting closer, he ran across a road into an alley in front, he thought he recognised it as he ran into it. All he saw when he entered it though was a tall metal wall. Dead end. 

The man cursed as he heard the van pull over behind him, it probably blocked the exit. He turned around and saw a large black van with "PMC" displayed on it in bright orange letters, a small dish was mounted on top. He raised his gun and shot his last bullets at it as a figure started to get out on the side facing the alley. Someone fell to the floor dead with 3 bloody holes in their chest, he didn't recognise them and knew he fucked up.

Someone else started walking round the other side of the van, presumably coming out from the other side. They squeezed between the van and the wall and entered the alley.  
Sisyphus kept his gun raised.

"Hey there! Special delivery down to the Acheron for you!" They spoke while grinning and almost sounding chirpy, they started to walk forward.

"Hermes." His hands were sweating as he gripped it. 

"How about you put that gun down mate?"

"Not a chance"

"Well then, shoot me" Hermes stretched out their arms and stopped approaching. They wore a dark shining suit with an orange bow tie, their cufflinks were orange as well. Spiky orange hair stuck up from their head.

Sisyphus just stared them down.

"You've got no bullets, well that's good because if you had any I would be as good as dead! Ha!" Hermes raised their right hand in the shape of a gun and pretended to shoot Sisyphus with it. 

"No, but I do have this." Sisyphus threw the gun against the wall and took out the detonator and pressed it and - nothing happened. Hermes sauntered back to the van and pointed to the dish, they slapped the van with satisfaction.

"Jamming signal, shuts down those pesky explosives. What was it? A microwave bomb in your head designed to fry your brain into an unusable state for the Acheron?"

Sisyphus was distraught, he dropped the detonator in shock and fell to his knees.

"Wouldn't work anyway I've seen it happen, does put the brain in a nasty state but just makes it quite painful to be down there from what I've heard from Hades." Hermes walked away from the van. 

"Don't look so glum though pal, you defeated the Acheron twice!"

"I… failed."

"Yes. but you sure gave us a run for our skills didn't you, 2 times managing to escape us killing you"

"Should have been three"

"Well I have a saying, "No matter who you are, the Acheron always catch up with you" "

He stared at the floor in silence. 

"Well your time's gonna be up anytime soon now, any last words before I end this whole messy affair and deliver your this time dead mind to the Acheron?"

Sisyphus smiled and looked up with tears in his eyes "Could you let me demonstrate how you're going to kill me?"

"Oooh, the old trick you used on Than. No." they smirked at the kneeling Sisyphus.

"How's Merope?"

"Still alive."

"I'm glad." his voice tinged deeply with sadness.

"Well as you know, I'm a very busy person. I have a company to run PR for and more people to chase down. Although I am upset about that guy but he clearly wasn't fast enough, not like me" Hermes flicked their hair checked a watch on their left wrist after saying this.

They stepped forward and took a spindly looking revolver with wings adorning it and aimed it at Sisyphus's heart.

"Now, special orders from Olympus, don't damage the brain, they have something special planned for you so Charon passed that on to me." "Any last words Sisyphus?"

"You won't be able to stop me inspiring others to do the same as I did." he said bravely for the last time, pride swelling in his chest as he did.

"Oh I think I will, PR skills and all that" 

They checked their watch, smiled at him and then pulled the trigger. A sharp and short bang could be heard throughout the area, and death was cheated no more.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took some time but after this, the Olympians made the tale of Sisyphus no more than a myth, if not an inspiring but mainly fearful one used against the inhabitants of the City. Sisyphus was swiftly taken down into the Acheron by Hermes, and his brain specially locked away. Upon him was set one of the cruellest punishments inflicted by Zeus, who he had so personally insulted in his life. 

Sisyphus would spend eternity in the Acheron believing he could escape it if he just solved this next riddle or puzzle given to him. He never was allowed to escape but the Olympians never let that hope go away and continued feeding his mind with their problems for him to solve. It would be false to say he wasn't aware of the futility of it, but when your whole life is spent trying to defy something, it's very hard to avoid taking the last chance you have at that and running with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading all the way through!!
> 
> this is my first finished multi chapter fic, just took some time to finish editing this chapter until now !!
> 
> twitter - @poagthemoth


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